Negotiating with Nev

Chance had just finished folding his clothes when his phone beeped a few times.

It was a text message from Nevada.

[guess what i just found out]

[Is it who is selling my car?]

[guess again]

[Where my car is being sold?]

[nope]

[When it's being sold?]

[=_=]

[What?]

[the world doesn't revolve around your car...]

[Just tell me.]

[i found out that you and dakota are conspiring to get rid of me]

[...huh?]

[trying to sell me off! to some old lady! how could you]

Chance could more or less guess how her conversation with Koty went.

First thing this morning, she probably scolded him for being out so late. Then she must have demanded details about his new job.

Koty never was good at lying. Especially not to his little sister. He had definitely caved in and told her everything that happened.

After another round of scolding, that is when he would have brought up sending her to Charlie's.

Right now, she was probably holed up in her room while Koty tried to coax her out.

As much as he enjoyed watching the two siblings go to war, he decided to help Koty out a little bit. So, with the hope of saving Koty from some hardship, Chance dialed Nevada's number.

"It doesn't matter what you say, I'm not changing my mind!" She immediately went on the offensive.

"No hello? Just straight to resistance."

"I'm. not. going." Nevada emphasized each word individually, as if it would make a difference. She was eighteen after all, a legal adult. No one could tell her what to do.

"What are your terms?"

"Straight to negotiation? You're not going to come and beg at my door like my idiot brother?"

A loud sneeze could be heard from the other side of her bedroom door.

"Terms, spill them now or I'll take you there by force." Chance was not amused at all. If he had to drag her over there, then fine.

Of course he'd have to trick her somehow.

"Like you could even keep me there."

"Trust me, you'll stay there all on your own."

"Yeah, right."

"You've got thirty minutes to decide."

"Your Camaro."

"What about it?"

"I want it. If you are going to exile me, I want your precious car."

Chance went silent as he carefully thought it over. If she had the car with her, at Charlie's, it would be for the best.

"I have two conditions in return. First of all, you need to find the car. In order for me to give it to you, I have to already have it. Second, when you do in fact realize that we are not exiling you and you start to enjoy yourself, you have to return it to me. In one piece."

"Deal... and I did find it.." She added the last bit in a low mumble

"Then why did you tell me you didn't?"

"Cause I'm still mad at you! Duh!"

"So where is it?"

"Romero is indeed brokering the sale. The auction is being hosted by Stella's on Wednesday, at six o'clock in the evening."

"Starting bid?"

"Forty-five thousand."

"Not bad."

"Coming from the guy that has to buy back his own car."

"Is there a reserve?" He ignored her snide comment and kept asking questions.

"Smart. Yep, they set it at sixty."

"What? Why?"

"Excellent restoration, low mileage, age matched parts, matching numbers where it counts... You really could have spared yourself some trouble and some money if you had just gone with reproduction parts." Nevada tried to hide the admiration in her voice. He had done this car right and she would be lying if she said she wasn't impressed.

"Potential buyers?"

"This is where you have the most advantage. The main attraction for this auction isn't your car. They are actually pushing a set of custom hot rods that some famous garage put together back in the seventies. Most of the buyers should be saving their cash for those."

"Anything else to add?"

"Well, can I r-"

"No."

"You didn't even let me ask."

"No."

"But..."

"Nevada Flynn, I am not sending you there as my representative." He was reluctant to send anyone really. He hated the idea of someone getting hurt, trying to keep him safe.

"Why not?"

"It's too dangerous. I don't want them to tie you back to me. If you want to go have a look at the auction, that's fine. Just stay away from the Camaro and from who ever I send as my rep... Unless..."

Chance felt like a light bulb lit up in his brain. Maybe there was a way for Nevada to go to the auction and agree to go to Charlie's and at the same time he could finally get his car back.

"Unless what?"

"You agree to go with Miss Mason."

"Who?"

"I believe you called her 'some old lady.'"

"Oh..."

"Let me find out if she'd be willing to represent me. Then she can handle the sale, no one will get suspicious of you, and I can sleep in peace at night."

"And I finally get to have a car of my own."

"We'll see."

By the time the call ended, Chance felt completely drained.